Azerbaijan

Broadcast media

3 state-run and 1 public TV channels; 4 domestic commercial TV stations and about 15 regional TV stations; cable TV services are available in Baku; 1 state-run and 1 public radio network operating; a small number of private commercial radio stations broadcasting; local FM relays of Baku commercial stations are available in many localities; local relays of several international broadcasters had been available until late 2008 when their broadcasts were banned from FM frequencies (2010)

Internet country code

.az

Internet users

total: 7,720,502 | percent of population: 78.2% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60

Telephone system

general assessment: requires considerable expansion and modernization; fixed-line telephone and a broad range of other telecom services are controlled by a state-owned telecommunications monopoly and growth has been stagnant; more competition exists in the mobile-cellular market with three providers in 2017 | domestic: teledensity of some 17 fixed lines per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity has increased to 104 telephones per 100 persons; satellite service connects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan (Nakhchivan) | international: country code - 994; the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic link transits Azerbaijan providing international connectivity to neighboring countries; the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations - 2 (2017)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 1,700,233 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 10,315,993 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 104 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83

Agriculture - products

fruit, vegetables, grain, rice, grapes, tea, cotton, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats

Budget

revenues: $10.97 billion | expenditures: $11.12 billion (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.4% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 53

Central bank discount rate

15% (10 March 2017) | 15% (14 September 2016) | note: this is the Refinancing Rate, the key policy rate for the National Bank of Azerbaijan | country comparison to the world: 10

Commercial bank prime lending rate

12.56% (31 December 2016 est.) | 13.86% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

Current account balance

$-1.363 billion (2016 est.) | $-222.5 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138

Debt - external

$13.83 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $13.22 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 104

Distribution of family income - Gini index

33.7 (2008) | 36.5 (2001) | country comparison to the world: 104

Economy - overview

Prior to the decline in global oil prices since 2014, Azerbaijan's high economic growth was attributable to rising energy exports, and some non-export sectors also featured double-digit growth. Oil exports through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline, the Baku-Novorossiysk, and the Baku-Supsa Pipelines remain the main economic driver, but efforts to boost Azerbaijan's gas production are underway. The expected completion of the geopolitically important Southern Gas Corridor between Azerbaijan and Europe will open up another source of revenue from gas exports. Declining oil prices caused a 3.8% contraction in GDP in 2016, reinforced by a sharp reduction in the construction sector. The economic decline has been accompanied by higher inflation and a weakened banking sector in the aftermath of the two sharp currency devaluations in 2015. | Azerbaijan has made limited progress with market-based economic reforms. Pervasive public and private sector corruption and structural economic inefficiencies remain a drag on long-term growth, particularly in non-energy sectors, but the government has made efforts to combat corruption, particularly in customs and with the “ASAN” one-stop window concept for government services. Several other obstacles impede Azerbaijan's economic progress, including the need for more foreign investment in the non-energy sector and the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. While trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics remains important, Azerbaijan has expanded trade with Turkey and Europe and is seeking new markets for non-oil/gas exports, mainly from the agricultural sector, for example with Gulf Cooperation Council member countries, the US, and others. | Long-term prospects depend on world oil prices, Azerbaijan's ability to implement export routes for its growing gas production, and its ability to improve the business environment and diversify the economy. In late 2016, the President approved a strategic roadmap that identified key non-energy segments of the economy for development, such as agriculture, logistics, and tourism.

Exchange rates

Azerbaijani manats (AZN) per US dollar - | 1.5957 (2016 est.) | 1.5957 (2015 est.) | 1.0246 (2014 est.) | 0.7844 (2013 est.) | 0.79 (2012 est.)

Exports

$13.21 billion (2016 est.) | $15.59 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

Exports - commodities

oil and gas roughly 90%, machinery, foodstuffs, cotton

Exports - partners

Italy 19.9%, Germany 10.5%, France 8%, Indonesia 5.8%, Czech Republic 5.2% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$37.56 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$165.7 billion (2016 est.) | $168.8 billion (2015 est.) | $165.9 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 73

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 57.8% | government consumption: 13.1% | investment in fixed capital: 24.8% | investment in inventories: 1.4% | exports of goods and services: 46.5% | imports of goods and services: -43.7% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 6% | industry: 51.7% | services: 42.3% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$17,500 (2016 est.) | $18,200 (2015 est.) | $18,200 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 96

GDP - real growth rate

-3.1% (2016 est.) | 0.6% (2015 est.) | 2.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 211

Gross national saving

18% of GDP (2016 est.) | 22.2% of GDP (2015 est.) | 37.1% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 32

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.4% | highest 10%: 27.4% (2008)

Imports

$9.004 billion (2016 est.) | $9.774 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, metals, chemicals

Imports - partners

Russia 15.7%, Turkey 12.5%, US 9.6%, Germany 7.5%, Italy 6.7%, Japan 6.2%, China 5.4%, UK 5.4% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

-4.2% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 186

Industries

petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

12.4% (2016 est.) | 4.1% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 210

Labor force

5.032 million (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 37% | industry: 14.3% | services: 48.9% (2014)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

4.9% (2015 est.)

Public debt

39.2% of GDP (2016 est.) | 28.3% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 136

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$7.142 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $7.91 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83

Stock of broad money

$6.521 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $5.523 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 118

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$17.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $14.48 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$73.83 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $66.5 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 51

Stock of domestic credit

$13.65 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $14.82 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 100

Stock of narrow money

$5.06 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $4.423 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99

Taxes and other revenues

29.2% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84

Unemployment rate

6% (2016 est.) | 5.8% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

35 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 73

Crude oil - exports

721,600 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91

Crude oil - production

833,500 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 23

Crude oil - proved reserves

7 billion bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 20

Electricity - consumption

20.27 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71

Electricity - exports

265 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

Electricity - from fossil fuels

84.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

14.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 102

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 38

Electricity - from other renewable sources

1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138

Electricity - imports

108 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97

Electricity - installed generating capacity

7.417 million kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

Electricity - production

23.3 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 73

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

18.2 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

Natural gas - exports

7.32 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 27

Natural gas - imports

200 million cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71

Natural gas - production

29.37 billion cu m (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 27

Natural gas - proved reserves

991.1 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 27

Refined petroleum products - consumption

101,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81

Refined petroleum products - exports

46,770 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 56

Refined petroleum products - imports

6,171 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 158

Refined petroleum products - production

142,100 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60

Area

total: 86,600 sq km | land: 82,629 sq km | water: 3,971 sq km | note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991 | country comparison to the world: 114

Area - comparative

about three-quarters the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Maine

Climate

dry, semiarid steppe

Coastline

0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (713 km)

Elevation

mean elevation: 384 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m | highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,466 m

Environment - current issues

local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil spills, from the use of DDT pesticide, and from toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

40 30 N, 47 30 E

Geography - note

both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked

Irrigated land

14,277 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 2,468 km | border countries (5): Armenia 996 km, Georgia 428 km, Iran 689 km, Russia 338 km, Turkey 17 km

Land use

agricultural land: 57.6% | arable land 22.8%; permanent crops 2.7%; permanent pasture 32.1% | forest: 11.3% | other: 31.1% (2011 est.)

Location

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

droughts

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite

Population - distribution

highest population density is found in the far eastern area of the county, in and around Baku; apart from smaller urbanized areas, the rest of the country has a fairly light and evenly distributed population

Terrain

large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland, much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) to the west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Administrative divisions

66 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular); | rayons: Abseron, Agcabadi, Agdam, Agdas, Agstafa, Agsu, Astara, Babak, Balakan, Barda, Beylaqan, Bilasuvar, Cabrayil, Calilabad, Culfa, Daskasan, Fuzuli, Gadabay, Goranboy, Goycay, Goygol, Haciqabul, Imisli, Ismayilli, Kalbacar, Kangarli, Kurdamir, Lacin, Lankaran, Lerik, Masalli, Neftcala, Oguz, Ordubad, Qabala, Qax, Qazax, Qobustan, Quba, Qubadli, Qusar, Saatli, Sabirabad, Sabran, Sadarak, Sahbuz, Saki, Salyan, Samaxi, Samkir, Samux, Sarur, Siyazan, Susa, Tartar, Tovuz, Ucar, Xacmaz, Xizi, Xocali, Xocavand, Yardimli, Yevlax, Zangilan, Zaqatala, Zardab | cities: Baku, Ganca, Lankaran, Mingacevir, Naftalan, Naxcivan (Nakhichevan), Saki, Sirvan, Sumqayit, Xankandi, Yevlax

Capital

name: Baku (Baki, Baky) | geographic coordinates: 40 23 N, 49 52 E | time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes | citizenship by descent: yes | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted 12 November 1995 | amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by at least 63 members of the National Assembly; passage requires at least 95 votes of Assembly members in two separate readings of the draft amendment six months apart and requires presidential approval after each of the two Assembly votes, followed by presidential signature; constitutional articles on the authority, sovereignty, and unity of the people cannot be amended; amended 2002, 2009, 2016 (2017)

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan | conventional short form: Azerbaijan | local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi | local short form: Azarbaycan | former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic | etymology: the name translates as "Land of Fire" and refers to naturally occurring surface fires on ancient oil pools or from natural gas discharges

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert CEKUTA (since 19 February 2015) | embassy: 111 Azadlig Prospekti, Baku AZ1007 | mailing address: American Embassy Baku, US Department of State, 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050 | telephone: [994] (12) 488-3300 | FAX: [994] (12) 488-3330

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Elin SULEYMANOV (since 5 December 2011) | chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500 | FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911 | consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Executive branch

chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003); First Vice President Mehriban ALIYEVA (since 21 February 2017) | head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Yaqub EYYUBOV (since June 2006); note - RASIZADE was previously prime minister from 20 July 1996 to 4 August 2003 | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly | elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for unlimited terms); election last held on 9 October 2013 (next to be held in October 2018); prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly; note - a constitutional amendment approved in a September 2016 referendum will expand presidential terms from 5 to 7 years when it formally takes effect; a separate constitutional amendment approved in the September 2016 referendum also introduced the post of first vice-president and additional vice-presidents, who are directly appointed by the | election results: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV (YAP) 84.5%, Jamil HASANLI (National Council of Democratic Forces) 5.5%, other 10% | note: OSCE observers concluded that the election did not meet international standards

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of sky blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in the red band; the blue band recalls Azerbaijan's Turkic heritage, red stands for modernization and progress, and green refers to Islam; the crescent moon and star are a Turkic insignia; the eight star points represent the eight Turkic peoples of the world

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

30 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 18 October 1991 (adopted by the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CICA, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (compliant country), FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, vice chairman, and 23 judges in plenum sessions and organized into civil, economic affairs, criminal, and rights violations chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges) | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Milli Majlis; judges appointed for 10 years; Constitutional Court chairman and deputy chairman appointed by the president; other court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Milli Majlis to serve single 15-year terms | subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (replaced the Economic Court in 2002); district and municipal courts;

Legal system

civil law system

Legislative branch

description: unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) | elections: last held on 1 November 2015 (next to be held in November 2020) | election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - YAP 69, CSP 2, Democratic Reforms 1, Social Democratic Party 1, Social Prosperity 1, Unity Party 1, Democratic Enlightenment 1, Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front 1, Motherland 1, Civil Unity 1, Great Undertaking Party 1, National Renaissance Party 1, independent 43, invalid 1

National anthem

name: "Azerbaijan Marsi" (March of Azerbaijan) | lyrics/music: Ahmed JAVAD/Uzeyir HAJIBEYOV | note: adopted 1992; although originally written in 1919 during a brief period of independence, "Azerbaijan Marsi" did not become the official anthem until after the dissolution of the Soviet Union

National holiday

Republic Day (founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan), 28 May (1918)

National symbol(s)

flames of fire; national colors: blue, red, green

Political parties and leaders

Civil Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLI] | Civil Unity Party or CUP [Sabir HAJIYEV] | Democratic Enlightenment [Elshan MUSAYEV] | Democratic Reforms Party [Asim MOLLAZADE] | Great Undertaking [Fazil MUSTAFA] | Musavat [Arif HAJILI] | Popular Front Party [Ali KARIMLI] | Motherland Party or AVP [Fazail AGAMALI] | Social Democratic Party [Ayaz MUTALIBOV] | Social Prosperity Party [Khanhusein KAZIMLI] | Unity Party [Tahir KARIMLI] | Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front Party [Gudrat HASANGULIYEV] | Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party or YAP [President Ilham ALIYEV]

Political pressure groups and leaders

D18 [Ruslan IZZETLI]] | Ireli Public Union or Ireli PU [MirHasan SEYIDOV] | National Council of Democratic Forces [Jamil HASANLI] | N!DA Civic Movement [Turgut GAMBAR, Ulvi HASANLI] (youth movement) | Republican Alternative or REAL [Ilgar MAMMADOV (in prison since 2013)]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Azerbaijan - a nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Shia Muslim population - was briefly independent (from 1918 to 1920) following the collapse of the Russian Empire; it was subsequently incorporated into the Soviet Union for seven decades. Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily ethnic Armenian-populated region that Moscow recognized in 1923 as an autonomous republic within Soviet Azerbaijan after Armenia and Azerbaijan disputed the territory's status. Armenia and Azerbaijan reignited their dispute over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated militarily after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, ethnic Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also seven surrounding provinces in the territory of Azerbaijan. The OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by the US, France, and Russia, is the framework established to mediate a peaceful resolution of the conflict. | Corruption in the country is widespread, and the government, which eliminated presidential term limits in a 2009 referendum and approved extending presidential terms from 5 to 7 years in 2016, has been accused of authoritarianism. Although the poverty rate has been reduced and infrastructure investment has increased substantially in recent years due to revenue from oil and gas production, reforms have not adequately addressed weaknesses in most government institutions, particularly in the education and health sectors, as well as the court system.

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air, and Air Defense Forces (2010)

Military expenditures

3.64% of GDP (2016) | 5.61% of GDP (2015) | 4.56% of GDP (2014) | 4.54% of GDP (2013) | 4.66% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 6

Military service age and obligation

18-35 years of age for compulsory military service; service obligation 18 months or 12 months for university graduates; 17 years of age for voluntary service; 17 year olds are considered to be on active service at cadet military schools (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 22.95% (male 1,220,356/female 1,065,514) | 15-24 years: 14.84% (male 775,422/female 703,027) | 25-54 years: 45.39% (male 2,219,613/female 2,302,356) | 55-64 years: 10.17% (male 467,830/female 545,505) | 65 years and over: 6.64% (male 253,679/female 408,094) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

15.8 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

4.9% (2013) | country comparison to the world: 75

Death rate

7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 40.2 | youth dependency ratio: 32.1 | elderly dependency ratio: 8 | potential support ratio: 12.4 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 94.7% of population | rural: 77.8% of population | total: 87% of population | urban: 5.3% of population | rural: 22.2% of population | total: 13% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 158

Ethnic groups

Azerbaijani 91.6%, Lezghin 2%, Russian 1.3%, Armenian 1.3%, Talysh 1.3%, other 2.4% | note: the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region is populated almost entirely by ethnic Armenians (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<500 (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

9,200 (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Health expenditures

6% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 104

Hospital bed density

4.7 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

total: 23.8 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 24.7 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 22.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70

Languages

Azerbaijani (Azeri) (official) 92.5%, Russian 1.4%, Armenian 1.4%, other 4.7% (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.8 years | male: 69.7 years | female: 76.1 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 144

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 99.8% | male: 99.9% | female: 99.7% (2016 est.)

Major urban areas - population

BAKU (capital) 2.374 million (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

25 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Median age

total: 31.3 years | male: 29.8 years | female: 33 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107

Mother's mean age at first birth

23.2 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

noun: Azerbaijani(s) | adjective: Azerbaijani

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.9% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 106

Physicians density

3.4 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

9,961,396 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 90

Population distribution

highest population density is found in the far eastern area of the county, in and around Baku; apart from smaller urbanized areas, the rest of the country has a fairly light and evenly distributed population

Population growth rate

0.87% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 125

Religions

Muslim 96.9% (predominantly Shia), Christian 3%, other <0.1, unaffiliated <0.1 (2010 est.) | note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan; percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Sanitation facility access

urban: 91.6% of population | rural: 86.6% of population | total: 89.3% of population | urban: 8.4% of population | rural: 13.4% of population | total: 10.7% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years | male: 13 years | female: 13 years (2014)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.15 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.09 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female | total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.89 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 13.4% | male: 11.4% | female: 15.8% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83

Urbanization

urban population: 55.2% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 1.38% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Disputes - international

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified the Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea; the dispute over the break-away Nagorno-Karabakh region and the Armenian military occupation of surrounding lands in Azerbaijan remains the primary focus of regional instability; residents have evacuated the former Soviet-era small ethnic enclaves in Armenia and Azerbaijan; local border forces struggle to control the illegal transit of goods and people across the porous, undemarcated Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian borders; bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian

Illicit drugs

limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; small government eradication program; transit point for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 582,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh; IDPs are mainly ethnic Azerbaijanis but also include ethnic Kurds, Russians, and Turks predominantly from occupied territories around Nagorno-Karabakh; includes IDPs' descendants, returned IDPs, and people living in insecure areas and excludes people displaced by natural disasters; around half the IDPs live in the capital Baku) (2016) | stateless persons: 3,585 (2016)

Airports

37 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 108

Airports - with paved runways

total: 30 | over 3,047 m: 5 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 | 914 to 1,523 m: 4 | under 914 m: 3 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 7 | under 914 m: 7 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

4K (2016)

Heliports

1 (2012)

Merchant marine

total: 104 | by type: tankers 34, universal dry-cargo 20, ferries 13, roll on/roll off 2, auxillary ships 35 | foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1) | registered in other countries: 2 (Malta 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2017) | country comparison to the world: 53

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 2 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 35 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,803,112 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 41,954,600 mt-km (2015)

Pipelines

condensate 89 km; gas 3,890 km; oil 2,446 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Baku (Baki) located on the Caspian Sea

Railways

total: 2,944.3 km | broad gauge: 2,944.3 km 1.520-m gauge (approx. 1,767 km electrified) (2017) | country comparison to the world: 71

Roadways

total: 52,942 km | paved: 26,789 km | unpaved: 26,153 km (2006) | country comparison to the world: 76